University Wine Shop

Nice place, decent selection of wines, for a university wine shop.
I visited at 9pm on a Monday and the person at the counter was extremely rude to the point that my wife who didn’t have her id on her was asked to leave the store. I understand there are laws based on which she shouldn’t have handled the alcohol, specially given she didn’t have her id, but he could’ve explained it to her nicely and requested her to leave rather than ordering her to leave the store before he processed the purchase.
Do not visit this shop unless you’re ready to be treated like CRAP!

I usually write decently long reviews, but it’s a wine shop, so what do you really need to know?
Decently priced for the area? CHECK
Good selection, probably one of the better ones for the area? CHECK
Sales? CHECK
Open late? CHECK
Short and simple.

This is my local liquor store and it is great! The staff are really helpful and are great for advice. I was going to some hipsters for dinner and they were great at recommending some too cool for school hipster beer to impress my hosts! Also have a great range of wines and have a great champagne selection. So its a full service booze shop, and within staggering distance of my house!
But beware it closes at 6pm on a Sunday! I’m not a planner aheader when it comes to a Sunday glass of red and I’ve had to walk ALL the way to Porter once or twice which is why they don’t get 5 stars (which is a bit harsh but what can you do!)

A bit pricey but a good selection
Open late and convenient location on Mass ave between Porter and Harvard Squares.

Friendly people, and Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc COLD in the fridge and CHEAP! My new favorite wine is here and I will be here all summer long buying it.
They have a great selection of beer/​wine/​booze and the prices are very reasonable.
I am a fan!

This is arguably the best wine and liquor shop in the area. It’s not a huge store, but their inventory selection is such that you needn’t go anywhere else. Want to make dark & stormies? They have Gosling’s. In the mood for a port? You’re covered.
I often find it hard to locate some of my favorite wines from New Zealand, Argentina, and Washington State, but they have great selection here. Management has clearly taken pains to make sure their stock represents current tastes and regional strengths. The fact that the staff is friendly is an added bonus.

This is a great little store to buy beer from, They have a very nice selection (Mayflower, Victory, and lots of other good breweries) at better prices than most places in the area. They also have a lot of discounted stuff, the other week I picked up a 22oz. of a fancy pear cider for $ 2, wow! They have six packs of «good» beer starting at $ 4 and there are some amazing deal to be had (stay away from the Halloween beer). I don’t buy wine that often but they have a nice selection at good prices. The Employees are always nice enough and tend to know about beer and at the counter they have a nice cheap nip selection (only beaten by Supreme Liqueurs in Cambridge).

I’m a fan of this place. They have wine, cheap drinking beers, and a selection of spirits, all for a reasonable price. The wine ranges from $ 5.50 bottles (which I have to say are surprisingly drinkable) all the way up to expensive – I’m only taking this out for the Queen… or Queen – bottles.
My one gripe with this place is that is is a little small which definitely limits their selection. They do, however, have sales which I certainly appreciate. Oh, and I live right across the street, so that’s a plus.
The staff are nice an knowledgeable so if you need help, they’re more than willing to assist.

Great little shop. A modest but unique selection of craft beers. Had a 22 of something that was so new I couldn’t find reviews on it and the man behind the register hadn’t tried it yet either so he offered a free taste for evaluation. It was very generous of him and the beer was good (lumberjack by 3 beards brewing co). I highly recommend stopping in here as the service is great and there is bound to be some beers you won’t find anywhere else.

I live right by this place, and it is the only liquor store in Cambridge I ever go to. The staff is courteous and friendly, they have a great selection of craft beer and cider, and the price is right.

I kinda hate this place.
I have lived around the corner from it now for about 10 months — going there every couple of weeks or so to top up with a couple of 6 packs. Each time I go in, despite being in my thirties and having been id-​d the previous 10 times, i am still asked for my passport. And passport only.
Now, i appreciate the need to ID — particularly in college-​town. However, an experience today made me vow never to go back.
I simply picked up 2 six packs for my Labour Day bbq. Upon placing the packs on the counter, looking into the familiar and well-​seen eyes of the attendant, he then asks me for my passport.
I say — «But i’m in here at least once a fortnight — carrying my passport is idiotic as it’s the only one i have» — i’m english you see and dont like to carry my passport around as it’s so hard to replace in a foreign country.
His reply
«Well, I’m in here every night and i dont recognise you».
He said this with a smug grin, chest out and chin high — appraising my face through his nose. My jaw dropped and the urge to say «Well then you’re pretty friggin stupid if you cant remember who comes into your shop on a regular basis».
Instead, i voted with my feet (and wallet) and went to Liqour World at porter square instead.
Anyway, for a more impartial statement on this place: Mediocre choice, not particularly cheap, and full of d! cks.
Hehe.

1. I don’t really know what constitutes a «good» wine shop.
2. I’m a sucker for friendly service.
With that in mind, I love the University Wine Shop! I went in looking for a wine called Southern Wright. Perhaps miraculously, I found it and walked to the counter to pay. There, I was greeted with two friendly guys, one of whom asked if I’d ever had that wine before. «No,» I replied, «I’m buying it for a friend,» and he said, «oh, well it’s really good.»
With that, I was back on Mass Ave., merrily on my way. No guff, no attitude, just a bottle of wine and pleasant service. Who needs anything else?

These guys are pretty awesome. They have a wide selection of craft microbrews and are happy to special order things that they don’t carry regularly. They know their wine as well.
This is a great neighborhood specialty shop.

Bought some Czechvar here form the cooler, and man — it was skunky. Also, went to check the price on a few single bottles they had out for sale on a table, and some of the bottles were cold… I’m assuming they’d just taken them out of the fridge to sell as room temperature singles… which will also make them taste nasty. Don’t recommend it for beer.

i think the selection of wine is pretty good, but their beer selection (esp IPAs) is amazing. while they only have a small portion of brew on display, they have about 200 different types in their cooler. just ask to check it out. the staff is pretty friendly and always helpful.

Selection is so-​so, but the people here are really willing to go the extra mile to help you out!
Case in point, my roommate’s favorite beer is this really hard to find brand, Victory Storm King Imperial Stout. Not being able to find it anywhere locally, he went to University and spoke to them about his favorite alcoholic beverage. They immediately put it on order and now he takes just a short walk to pick up his favorite brew!
I think that’s pretty cool. I mean, you could go other places to get a little bit better prices and a better selection, but finding that kind of service might be harder.

I was not totally jazzed by the selection in this place. And, to add to my woes, I just moved and can’t find my corkscrew.

A great place for good and cheap wine. They have a good selection of wine in all price ranges, but I am cheap and like my Bulls Blood and they sell it there for pennies.
They are SUPER friendly and helpful, and very knowledgeable. I had to get some wine for a tasting party I was going to at a wine connoisseurs house and I couldn’t bring my $ 4 bottle of Bulls Blood. The found me a fabulous bottle (unfortunately the name is escaping me) for $ 35 and it was the hit of the evening.

Sure the beer selection is limited (hence the name) — but they always have Long Trail Double Bag and PBR on hand. Also, the guys behind the counter are always helpful in recommendations and they always grab the door for me when I stroll in my daughter– which sure helps when I’m toting a bottle a wine and a six pack. The hours are great too– 7 days a week.

The selection is small, and there’s not too much on the high end, but thankfully there’s more than at a cheap college liquor store. The only reason to shop here is if you’re in the area. Sadly, this is the best in the immediate area. The closest store that’s better is either Downtown Liquors in Davis Square or the Wine & Cheese Cask near Inman. Crazy! Anyway, this isn’t the store to find Yquem, Westvleteren, or Macallan 25, but you’ll be able to find something to strike your fancy.